All audio/video source devices for the auditorium, including a Pioneer DVD/laser disk/CD player and a Panasonic PV-9451 VCR, are housed in a single Atlas 502-61B rack in a small control room at the rear of the auditorium.

All can be controlled via infrared protocol - the Crestron control system is linked to an IR emitter panel that interfaces with each source device.

As a result, the IR remote control of each of these devices can also be used if the operator prefers.

“In a nutshell, the control scenario is pretty simple,” Grabill says. “You have the Crestron touch panel, with one-button selection, providing an RF feed to the Crestron control unit, which in turn is providing control protocol to each device via infrared. And, you can navigate on the touch panel for more individual control of each device, if that’s wanted.”

Meanwhile, the Crestron system also interfaces with the room’s PrescoLite lighting system via seven contact closures able to be accessed, each representing a different preset established by Kruggel.

The motorized Draper 8-foot by 10-foot video screen retracts into the ceiling, and is lowered either via a touch panel preset of an up/down switch in the control room.

A Sanyo SP-10N LCD projector, outfitted with a Buhl long-throw lens, rests on top of the control room equipment rack, provides a quality video image. The projector is rated at 1200 ANSI lumens and offers 800-line by 600-line resolution.

“When the equipment was specified over a year ago, this projector was at the top of the line for an application like this,” Kruggel says. “It’s a bit more `run of the mill’ now, but still very good in terms of both picture and reliability. And, the price point enabled us to include an identical unit, both for redundancy in the auditorium and for portable applications.”

The main AV equipment rack serving the auditorium, located in an adjacent, secured room. (click to enlarge)

The audio system, also housed in the control room rack, includes two different modes of operation, again triggered via the Crestron panel. For spoken word and general music applications, signal is processed via a Peavey CEX-5 digital programmable controller, providing a stereo feed to the house loudspeaker system.

However, for video programming, audio signal is routed to a Lexicon DC-2 surround sound processor, with additional equalization added with the Peavey CEX-5.

Crown K2 convection cooled power amplifiers deliver signal to seven Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) JF80 loudspeakers in the auditorium. Mounted horizontally with Omnimount 100WA hardware, the compact, two-way JF80s provide good fidelity and dynamics to the entire listening area.

Three JF80s are mounted left/center/right at the front of the room, with the remaining four loudspeakers dedicated to side and rear surround output.

Each loudspeaker has its own K2 channel, including an EAW SB250 subwoofer located on one of the rear corners of the stage floor. This location proves ideal to take advantage of acoustic coupling with added sub-bass presence is desired. “The JF80s are a good choice for situations where you need good spoken word intelligibility and the additional dynamics of full-range music and video programming,” Grabill says.

A Mackie 1604VLZ compact mixer, also mounted in the rack, is available for live mix by musical performers. Several patch panels on the stage include system inputs, and three Shure U24 wireless systems are available as needed. Two offer bodypack transmitters with lavalier mics, while the other includes a handheld transmitter with Shure Beta 58 mic capsule. Antennas for these systems are mounted in the control room.

Looking Forward
In form and function, the Herrick District Library indeed indicates the current direction for public libraries. New technologies are accepted, and even demanded, by the general public, and facilities of this type will increasingly be responding to accommodate this reality. Multimedia is the norm, not an exception.

“We aggressively utilized some of the latest audio, video and lighting systems in a manner that truly speaks to what an asset a library can be to its community,” Kruggel concludes. “The library board and the citizens of Holland deserve a lot of credit for looking to the future -  and embracing it - within the bounds of this exceptional project.”

Keith Clark is editor of ProSoundWeb. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to send him an e-mail.

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